System and Method for Interfacing with, and Controlling, Beverage Dispensing Containers

ABSTRACT

The inventive system and method advantageously enable superior adaptive connection of containers for storing and dispensing beverages to various dispensing systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for interfacing with, and controlling the flow of liquid from, various beverage storage/dispensing containers that comprise any of a variety of dispensing interface components. In at least one embodiment of the present invention, the inventive configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter is configured to achieve a pressurized seal with a connected beverage storage/dispensing container, to accomplish connection with a pressurization-based beverage dispensing system or equivalent thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present patent application claims priority from the commonly assigned co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/530,509 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING AND SELECTIVELY DISPENSING LIQUIDS” filed Sep. 2, 2011.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for connecting containers for storing and dispensing beverages to various dispensing systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for interfacing with, and controlling the flow of liquid from, various beverage storage/dispensing containers that comprise any of a variety of dispensing components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The ever-increasing consumption of wine and similar beverages, both in various commercial establishments (e.g., restaurants, bars, lounges, etc.), and in consumers' homes, has led to growth in popularity and in commercial availability of “wine bags”/“wine boxes” (often offered in a “wine-in-bag”/“bag-in-box” format) (hereinafter “WinB products”) that enable consumers and commercial establishments to purchase wines in large format sealed containers at much lower purchase and shipping costs than the costs for equivalent quantity of bottled wine. Another reason for the popularity of WinB product format is the well known fact that larger wine containers have a much lower ratio of oxygen to wine volume, thus slowing down the deterioration of wine due to oxidation when contrasted with the relatively short period of oxygen-related wine deterioration in a conventional 750 ml bottle.

WinB products have a further advantage that they are often configured for use with a dispensing system (typically a counter-top container (e.g., a box, or a decorative container, such as a barrel) that may be as simple as a cardboard box for storing the WinB product and a hole to enable access to a dispensing spout (if the WinB product is supplied with one), or a dispensing container with its own nozzle that connects to a coupling provided on the WinB product.

However, virtually all previously known WinB products suffer from at least one significant disadvantage—their dispensing interfaces either include fully functional dispensing taps (such as push-button or twist taps) which makes them usable only with specific properly sized and configured tap-less dispensing containers, or are configured for proprietary connections to specific models of dispensing containers/systems—an approach most often taken by wine sellers that offer their customers a proprietary dispenser for which the customer must later purchase wine in the seller's proprietary WinB products.

It is for above reasons, that despite their growing popularity, WinB products have, to date, failed to achieve a well-deserved broad level of commercial success.

Moreover, the proprietary nature of commercially available WinB products also greatly limits their use only to such specific consumer/commercial wine preservation/dispensing systems which they are configured to interface. This is a particularly significant problem for WinB products that comprise a user-activated tap interface.

As a result, without a solution to the above challenge, many WinB products would be precluded from being advantageously utilized in conjunction with universal advanced wine preservation/dispensing systems, for example, such as pressurization-based and other beverage preservation/dispensing systems shown and described in the commonly assigned co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/530,509 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING AND SELECTIVELY DISPENSING LIQUIDS”, the commonly assigned co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/530,503 entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING, PRESERVING AND SELECTIVELY DISPENSING BEVERAGES”, and the commonly assigned co-pending U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/530,491 entitled “SCALABLE MODULAR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR STORING, PRESERVING, MANAGING, AND SELECTIVELY DISPENSING BEVERAGES”, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

It would thus be desirable to provide a system and method that resolves the disadvantages of proprietary dispensing interfaces of all previously known WinB products. It would further be desirable to provide a system and method enables interfacing with, and control of, WinB products that comprise integrated user-controlled taps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding or similar elements throughout the various figures:

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of the inventive system and method for interfacing with, and controlling, beverage storage and dispensing containers, shown as a novel configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter being connected to an exemplary WinB product container;

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of the novel configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter of FIG. 1A shown in use with the exemplary WinB product container of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an alternate embodiment of the novel configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter of FIG. 1A, that is suitable for use with exemplary WinB product containers configured with a nozzle (or equivalent) dispensing interface;

FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of a pressure-sealed coupling that may readily be utilized as a component of the novel configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter of FIG. 1A, and/or of the novel configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter of FIG. 2, for pressure-sealed connection thereof to a dispensing conduit; and

FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram of a second exemplary embodiment of a pressure-sealed coupling that may readily be utilized as a component of the novel configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter of FIG. 2, for pressure-sealed connection thereof to a dispensing conduit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The inventive system and method advantageously enable superior universal connection of containers for storing and dispensing beverages to various dispensing systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for interfacing with, and controlling the flow of liquid from, various beverage storage/dispensing containers that comprise any of a variety of dispensing interface components.

At the outset, it should be noted that while the various descriptions of the system and method of the present invention describe the utilization thereof with wine or other perishable beverages, it should be understood to one skilled in the art that the various embodiments of the inventive system and method can be readily utilized in conjunction with storage and selective dispensation of any liquid substance as a matter of design choice or necessity without departing from the spirit of the invention. Similarly, while the inventive system and method are described as being operable for use with WinB products, virtually any container for liquids with a dispensing interface can be readily substituted.

The essence of the present invention comprises a configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter (hereinafter “CRDIC adapter”) that is readily adjustable and configurable to:

-   -   (1) couple with virtually any WinB product dispensing interface;         and     -   (2) readily control any user-operable dispensing component by         selectively retaining the WinB product's dispensing interface         control, thus enabling the WinB product to be readily used with         a variety of wine dispensing systems, and in particular with         pressurization-based wine dispensing systems that require a         controllable pressurized connection with a WinB product         container.

Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a first exemplary embodiment of the inventive system and method for inventive system and method for interfacing with, and controlling, beverage storage and dispensing containers (such as a beverage container 10) that are supplied with operable dispensing components (such as spouts, etc), is shown as a configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter (hereinafter “CRDIC adapter”) 50.

As has been noted above, many WinB products are offered as beverage containers comprising proprietary operable (for example by a user) dispensing components integrated into the container itself (such as spouts, taps, etc.). While operable dispensing components of various WinB products are offered in a number of different sizes and configurations, most often, they take the form shown in FIG. 1A, by way of example only, as a spout 16 (of the beverage container 10), that includes a nozzle portion (or equivalent) inside the container housing 12, and an external portion that comprises a user-operable dispensing control (shown as a pushbutton 16 b, by way of example only), as well as pour component 16 c.

When the pushbutton 16 b (or equivalent dispensing control) is actuated, the beverage 14 flows from the pour component 16 c for as long as the pushbutton 16 b remains engaged. Because holding down the pushbutton 16 b for the duration of the pour while aligning a glass under the pour component 16 c can be uncomfortable, certain spouts 16 may include optional finger rest ridges 16 d to provide the user with a better grip on the spout 16 during operation thereof.

As a result, WinB products with integral operable dispensing components as described above, would be virtually impossible to utilize in conjunction with wine-dispensing systems that require connection to the WinB product via a dispensing conduit (such as tubing), because there is currently no way to form a secure, sealed connection, that is required for proper operation of any wine dispensing system, between the dispensing conduit connected to the wine dispensing system and the WinB product's operable dispensing component (such as the spout 16).

The CRDIC adapter 50 advantageously and fully resolves the above challenge, because it is operable to form a sealed controllable connection with a spout 16 (or an equivalent operable dispensing component) of a housing 12 of the beverage container 10, and is further operable to form a pressurized sealed connection with a dispensing conduit 100 (e.g., tubing) which may be connected to a local or remote pressurization-based (or equivalent) beverage dispensing system.

The CRDIC adapter 50 comprises a interface coupling housing 52 having an internal adaptive coupling region 54 that is preferably configured (or configurable) to releasably receive the spout 16 therein, through an open spout capture region 60, and to retain the spout 16 while forming a sufficiently tight sealed connection therewith. The adaptive coupling region 54 may be provided in a number of configurations and sizes, as a matter of design choice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Optionally, the entire internal adaptive coupling region 54 may be configured as a replaceable component of the interface coupling housing 52, such that a variety of differently configured adaptive coupling region 54 may be swapped into, and out from, the interface coupling housing 52 to enable the CRDIC adapter 50 to properly interface with any operable dispensing component 16, regardless of size or configuration thereof.

The interface coupling housing 52 and the internal adaptive coupling region 54 also comprise a pressure sealable/sealed coupling 62 (e.g., such as an “o-ring” coupling) that is positioned to be aligned and in communication with the pour component 16 c at its first end (when the spout 16 is received within, and engaged by, the adaptive coupling region 54), and is configured to releasably connect to, and form a pressurized seal with, the dispensing conduit 100, at its second end. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pressure sealed coupling 62 may be positioned on the exterior of the interface coupling housing 52 (for example to enable quick replacement thereof), while in another embodiment of the present invention, the interface coupling housing 52 may comprise an extended region 52 a, such that the majority of the pressure sealed coupling 62 is disposed therein, with only its second end (operable to connect to the dispensing conduit 100) being exposed.

Referring now to FIG. 3A a first exemplary embodiment of the pressure sealed coupling 62 of FIG. 1A, is shown as a pressure-sealable coupling 62-1, that comprises a conventional pressurized O-Ring fitting, configured to receive the end portion of the dispensing conduit 100 therein, and to form a pressurized seal therewith. Advantageously, O-Ring fittings are configured to form a stronger sealed connection with the tubing inserted therein in response to a greater degree of pressure being exerted on the overall system.

It should be noted, however, that while O-Ring or equivalent based pressure-sealable fittings, are quite suitable for use as the pressure sealed coupling 62, particularly due to their quick-release feature, any other type of fitting or connector that is operable to form a secure seal with tubing may readily be used as a component of the CRDIC adapter 50 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring back to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the CRDIC adapter 50 also includes a compression element 56 that is operable to retain the spout 16 within the internal adaptive coupling region 54, and to engage the dispensing control 16 b thereof, such that when the compression element 56 is operated, unrestricted flow of beverage 14 from the container housing 12 is enabled (as is shown in FIG. 1B), from the pour component 16 c into the first end of the pressure sealed coupling 62, and then into the dispensing conduit 100.

Optionally, the compression element 56 may include an adjustment element 58 (for example, screw-down based) that is operable to enable further control over the pressure exerted by the compression element 56 on the dispensing control 16 b, such that selective operation of the adjustment element 58 can restrict the flow of the beverage 14 by a predetermined degree, depending on how much pressure the compression element 58 is permitted to exert on the dispensing control 16 b by the adjustment element 58.

It should also be noted, that relative orientations and positions, on the interface coupling housing 52, of the various components of the CRDIC adapter 50, such as the spout capture region 60, the compression element 56 and the pressure sealed coupling 62, may be selected and configured as a matter of design choice or convenience without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Optionally, when the beverage container 10 comprises a resilient/or rigid housing 12, the interface coupling housing 52 may comprise a beverage container wall attachment element 60 a (such as an adhesive coating) positioned proximal to the open spout capture region 60, that is operable to attach the CRDIC adapter 50 to the beverage container housing 12. Alternately, the beverage container wall attachment element 60 a may be releasable.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a second exemplary embodiment of the inventive system and method for inventive system and method for interfacing with, and controlling, beverage storage and dispensing containers (such as a beverage container 10-1) that are supplied with nozzles (or equivalent tube-like dispensing interfaces), is shown as a configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter (hereinafter “CRDIC adapter”) 50-1.

Although many WinB products are offered as beverage containers comprising proprietary operable integral dispensing components (such as the beverage container 10 of FIG. 1A), quite a few WinB products are also offered with proprietary nozzle or nozzle-like integral dispensing interfaces configured for connecting with a separate operable dispensing component. For example, a number of WinB products are implemented as replaceable components of a counter-top box (or other dispensing container) that comprises a proprietary operable dispensing component configured for connection to the WinB product's corresponding proprietary nozzle.

While dispensing interfaces of various WinB products noted above are offered in a number of different sizes and configurations, most often, they take the form shown in FIG. 2, by way of example only, as a nozzle 16-1 (of the beverage container 10-1), having a portion thereof disposed inside the container housing 12-1, and having an external nozzle interface portion. The nozzle 16-1 may be configured in a variety of shapes and sizes. Alternately, a nozzle 16-2, configured with a proprietary connector, may be utilized for connection to specific corresponding dispensing components

However, because WinB products that comprise non-operable dispensing interfaces, such as nozzles, lack any standardization, and because they are typically configured for use with specific proprietary dispensing systems, it is likewise very difficult, and in some cases impossible, to connect such WinB products to non-proprietary/universal wine dispensing systems (such as the novel system of the above-incorporated '509 application) because of the challenge of establishing a sealed, pressurized connection between a dispensing conduit 100 and a WinB product container's proprietary sized and shaped nozzle.

The CRDIC adapter 50-1 advantageously and fully resolves the above challenge, because it is operable to form a sealed controllable connection with a nozzle 16-1 (or an equivalent non-operable dispensing interface) of a housing 12-1 of the beverage container 10-1, and is further operable to form a pressurized sealed connection with a dispensing conduit 100 (e.g., tubing) which may be connected to a local or remote pressurization-based (or equivalent) beverage dispensing system.

The CRDIC adapter 50-1, which may comprise a number of the same (or equivalent) components as the CRDIC adapter 50 of FIG. 1A, comprises a interface coupling housing 52-1, having an internal adaptive coupling region 54-1, that is configured (or configurable) to releasably receive the nozzle 16-1 therein through an open nozzle interface 60-1, and to form a sufficiently tight sealed connection therewith. The adaptive coupling region 54-1 may be provided in a number of configurations and sizes, as a matter of design choice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Optionally, the entire internal adaptive coupling region 54-1 may be configured as a replaceable component of the interface coupling housing 52-1, such that a variety of differently configured adaptive coupling region 54-1 may be swapped into, and out from, the interface coupling housing 52-1 to enable the CRDIC adapter 50-1 to properly interface with any nozzle 16-1/16-2, regardless of the size or configuration thereof.

The interface coupling housing 52-1 and the internal adaptive coupling region 54-1 also comprise a pressure sealable/sealed coupling 62 (e.g., such as an “o-ring” coupling) that is positioned to align its first end such that it is in communication with the nozzle 16-1 (or 16-2) when it is received within, and engaged by, the adaptive coupling region 54-1, and that is configured to releasably connect to, and form a pressurized seal with, the dispensing conduit 100, at its second end.

While the pressure-sealable coupling 62-2, embodiment of FIG. 3A may certainly be utilized as the pressure-sealable coupling 62 of FIG. 2, referring now to FIG. 3B, a second exemplary embodiment of the pressure sealed coupling 62 of FIG. 2, is shown as a pressure-sealable coupling 62-2, that comprises a conventional pressurized O-Ring fitting, configured to receive the end portion of the dispensing conduit 100 therein, and to form a pressurized seal therewith, and that also comprises a similar connection at it other end. Advantageously, O-Ring fittings are configured to form a stronger sealed connection with the tubing inserted therein in response to a greater degree of pressure being exerted on the overall system. Furthermore, a number of O-Ring fittings are supplied with quick-release mechanisms—for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, a release may be pressed (B) to enable quick removal of the dispensing conduit 100 therefrom (A).

It should be noted, however, that while O-Ring or equivalent based pressure-sealable fittings are quite suitable for use as the pressure sealed coupling 62, particularly due to their quick-release feature, any other type of fitting or connector that is operable to form a secure seal with tubing may readily be used as a component of the CRDIC adapter 50-1 without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the CRDIC adapter 50-1 may optionally include a compression element 56-1 that is operable to retain the nozzle 16-1 within the internal adaptive coupling region 54-1 for example to ensure a proper communication of the nozzle 16-1 with the pressure sealed coupling 62. Optionally, the compression element 56-1 may include an adjustment element 58-1 (for example, screw-down based) that is operable to enable further control over the pressure exerted by the compression element 56-1 on the nozzle 16-1 to ensure that it properly secured without being damaged.

It should also be noted, that relative orientations and positions, on the interface coupling housing 52-1, of the various components of the CRDIC adapter 50-1, such as the nozzle interface 60-1, the compression element 56-1 and the pressure sealed coupling 62, may be selected and configured as a matter of design choice or convenience without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the inventive system and method as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices and methods illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. 

1. A selectively adjustable and configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter, for coupling with, and controlling, beverage containers that each include one of a plurality of different selectively operable dispensing components, the dispensing interface coupling adapter comprising: an adapter housing; first releasable coupling means for securely coupling to at least one plural selectively operable beverage container dispensing component; second releasable coupling means for securely coupling to a dispensing conduit; and control means for selectively controlling, to a predetermined degree, said at least one plural selectively operable beverage container dispensing component, to selectively enable flow of beverage from the beverage container into said dispensing conduit.
 2. The configurable releasable interface coupling adapter of claim 1, wherein said first releasable coupling means is configured for forming a pressurized seal with said at least one plural selectively operable dispensing component.
 3. The configurable releasable interface coupling adapter of claim 1, wherein said second releasable coupling means is configured for forming a pressurized seal with said dispensing conduit.
 4. The configurable releasable interface coupling adapter of claim 3, wherein said second releasable coupling means comprises an o-ring fitting.
 5. A selectively adjustable and configurable releasable dispensing interface coupling adapter, for coupling with, and controlling, beverage containers that each include one of a plurality of different dispensing interfaces, the dispensing interface coupling adapter: an adapter housing; first releasable coupling means for securely coupling to at least one plural beverage container dispensing interface; second releasable coupling means for securely coupling to a dispensing conduit; and configuration means for selectively configuring said first releasable coupling means to ensure formation of a secure coupling connection with any of a plurality of different beverage container dispensing interfaces.
 6. The configurable releasable interface coupling adapter of claim 5, wherein said second releasable coupling means is configured for forming a pressurized seal with said dispensing conduit.
 7. The configurable releasable interface coupling adapter of claim 6, wherein said second releasable coupling means comprises an o-ring fitting. 